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Sam Fender has handed over the full amount of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the UK's independent live music spots.

He was awarded the prize on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.

Fender has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.

"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the performances I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," said Fender. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."

Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.

Recently, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.

Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.

The donation helped locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to issues arising from floods, blazes and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.

Other venues received funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped musicians and fans.

"The idea that revenue from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has said.

The musician is not the first artist to give his award winnings to charitable organizations.

In the band won the award in the year 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would donate their cash to the charity the charity.

During 2002, artist she divided her bounty between a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked updated gear," she shared with outlets.

In recent years, they gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.

And winners that year the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was diagnosed the illness.

"The victory was sufficient," stated vocalist the singer. "The money was the extra but we could do without the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory impacted another person's life."

Last week, the MVT announced it had protected a couple of local spots in south-east England, by transferring them to community ownership.

One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "ownership units" in the buildings.